Hornig Wine Company GmbH

What Hornig Wine Company GmbH does

Hornig Wine Company GmbH is a B2B importer and wholesaler of premium overseas wines, founded in 2020 and headquartered in Frankfurt am Main with a registered office in Marburg, Germany. It serves the German specialist wine trade (Fachhandel) and the hospitality sector (Gastronomie), acting as the exclusive German importer for seven partner wineries across six countries: Kay Brothers (Australia), Marisco Vineyards with its sub-brands The Ned, King Series, Leefield Station, Curious Kiwi and Fernlands (New Zealand), Swartland Wynkelder and African Pride Wines (South Africa), Bodegas y Vinedos de Aguirre (Chile), Gen del Alma and Bodega y Cavas de Weinert (Argentina), and Scheid Family Wines (California, USA). The portfolio is positioned as premium overseas wine not widely distributed in Germany, distributed under the Wein-Handel-Marke Hornig wine brand.

The business operates a traditional import-wholesale model with no proprietary technology platform. Product is warehoused in Grolsheim and sold ex-warehouse excluding VAT with 10-day payment terms to B2B customers. Distribution combines in-house sales in Berlin and the Rhein-Main region with an external agent network that was extended in 2021 to cover Bremen/Lower Saxony (Hans J. Buse) and the Ruhr/Cologne region (Wolfgang Hösterey). Go-to-market is sales-led and reinforced through trade media (Wein+Markt, Falstaff, Weinwirtschaft), industry events (ProWein, VDP Rheingau Gourmet Festival, Rolling Pin Convention) and a newsletter/pricelist subscription service that offers exclusive subscriber discounts.

The company is privately held with 1-10 employees, no external capital disclosed, and sole managing director Rene Dominique Hornig, a sommelier graduate of the Fachschule für Sommeliers in Heidelberg. Strategic positioning includes Premium Partner status of the VINUM Wine Trade Club in 2024 and 2025 and Wine in Moderation membership certification received in June 2024.

Name

Hornig Wine Company GmbH

Legal name

Hornig Wine Company GmbH

Website

https://hornigwine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hornig Wine Company GmbH is a Frankfurt-based B2B importer and wholesaler that exclusively distributes premium wines from seven partner wineries across six overseas countries to the German specialist wine trade and hospitality sector.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Import and Wholesale Distribution

NAICS

Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Beverage Import/Export & Cross-Border Wholesale (AFAIAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Craft & Specialty Beverage Wholesale (Local/Artisanal) (AFAIAGAH)

Keywords

• Wine import wholesale
• B2B wine distribution
• Overseas wine trade
• Specialty wine wholesale
• Gastronomy wine supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wine Import and Wholesale: B2B import and wholesale of premium overseas wines to specialist retailers and HORECA sector across Germany. The company acts as exclusive importer and distributor for selected international wineries, selling products at wholesale prices with payment terms of 10 days after invoicing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hornig Wine Company GmbH imports and wholesales premium wines from overseas (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, USA) exclusively to the German specialist wine trade (Fachhandel) and the gastronomy/hospitality sector (HORECA). The company acts as the exclusive importer and distributor for a curated portfolio of established international wineries, complemented by a newsletter/price-list subscription service offering catalogs, promotional materials, and trade discounts.

Product overview

Hornig Wine Company GmbH is a B2B wine importer and wholesaler based in Frankfurt/Main, Germany, specializing in premium overseas wines exclusively for the specialist trade (Fachhandel) and gastronomy. The company operates as a unified import-wholesale platform offering wines from six countries: Australia (Kay Brothers), New Zealand (Marisco Vineyards with Curious Kiwi, Fernlands, The Ned, King Series, Leefield Station sub-brands), South Africa (Swartland Wynkelder/Serengeti, African Pride Wines/Forager), Chile (Bodegas y Vinedos de Aguirre/Santa Loreto), Argentina (Gen del Alma, Bodega y Cavas de Weinert), and USA/California (Scheid Family Wines/Metz Road). The product portfolio encompasses red wines, white wines, rosé, and dessert wines distributed through an agency network across Germany. The company complements its wine import business with a newsletter/pricelist subscription service providing B2B customers with exclusive catalogs, pricing, and promotional materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kay Brothers (Australia) Premium Australian wine portfolio from McLaren Vale, featuring traditional basket-press and old-vine winemaking; distributed to German specialist wine retailers and restaurants/hotels.
• Bodegas y Vinedos de Aguirre (Chile) Chilean winery producing the Santa Loreto Reserva line (Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère) from Valle Central, supplied to German specialist retailers and hospitality venues.
• Swartland Wynkelder (South Africa) South African winery from Western Cape producing the Serengeti range (Chardonnay, Pinotage, Shiraz) supplied to German specialist trade and gastronomy.
• African Pride Wines - Forager (South Africa) South African wine brand offering Forager White (Chenin Blanc/Grenache Blanc blend) and Forager Red (Shiraz/Grenache blend) for German specialist wine retailers and gastronomy.
• Gen del Alma (Argentina) Argentine Mendoza boutique winery specializing in Malbec, including the Crua Chan single-vineyard Malbec aged in French oak and concrete amphorae, for German specialist trade.
• Bodega y Cavas de Weinert (Argentina) Traditional Argentine winery from Mendoza producing Pedro Malbec and Carrascal Corte Tinto (Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend) supplied to German specialist retailers and gastronomy.
• Scheid Family Wines (USA/California) California winery producing the Metz Road Chardonnay (99 points at California State Fair and gold at Mundus Vini), imported to the German specialist wine trade.
• Marisco Vineyards (New Zealand) New Zealand winery group offering five sub-brands (Curious Kiwi, Fernlands, The Ned, King Series, Leefield Station), specializing in Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir for the German B2B trade.
• Newsletter/Pricelist Service B2B subscription service for specialist retailers and gastronomy, providing exclusive catalogs, trade price lists, promotional materials, and trade-only discounts.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and strategic.

• Wine in ModerationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2024International initiative promoting moderate and responsible wine consumption. Hornig Wine Company received membership certificate in June 2024, demonstrating commitment to sustainability.
• VEG Geisenheim Alumni AssociationminorOthers · 31 October 2021Worldwide network of over 3000 members. Dominique Hornig received silver pin for 10-year membership recognition in October 2021.
• Hans J. BusecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 September 2021Sales agent covering Bremen and Lower Saxony states. 40+ years experience representing selected wineries and specialty food producers. Partner since September 2021.
• Wolfgang HöstereycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 September 2021Sales agent covering Essen, Düsseldorf, Köln, Wuppertal, Dortmund, Duisburg, Hagen regions. Partner since September 2021.
• Kay BrotherscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralian winery partnership. Kay Brothers is a historic McLaren Vale estate established 1890, with 5-star Halliday rating for 10 consecutive years. Key wines include Block 6 Shiraz (planted 1892), Basket Pressed Shiraz, Cuthbert Cabernet Sauvignon, and Grenache wines.
• Marisco VineyardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Zealand winery, producing The Ned, King Series, Leefield Station, Curious Kiwi, and Fernlands brands. Won Best Producer New Zealand at Mundus Vini 2021 and multiple gold medals internationally.
• Scheid Family WinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalifornia winery producing Scheid Family Wines and Metz Road label. Featured at VDP Rheingau Gourmet Festival 2024 representing California alongside prestigious producers.
• Bodega y Cavas de WeinertcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric Argentine winery producing Pedro Malbec and Carrascal Corte Tinto. Based in Mendoza with production dating to 1890.
• Gen del AlmacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArgentine boutique winery from Mendoza, specializing in Malbec. Produces Crua Chan Malbec aged in concrete amphorae and French oak.
• Swartland WynkeldercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth African winery producing Serengeti and African Pride Wines brands from Western Cape. Featured 2020 Serengeti Shiraz recommended by Wein+Markt for ProWein.
• Bodegas y Vinedos de AguirrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChilean winery producing Santa Loreto Reserva wines from Valle Central. Produces Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carménère.
• VINUM Wine Trade ClubstrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium Partner status for 2024 and 2025. Access to wine trade expert network of merchants and sommeliers. Provides platform to present products and philosophy to trade professionals.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mack & Schühle AG: Established German wine importer and distributor with a much broader country portfolio and larger sales force; competes in the same German B2B wine channel but at significantly greater scale across multiple origins.
• Eggers & Franke Holding GmbH: One of Germany's largest wine and spirits importers with a multi-country portfolio and broad German trade coverage; competes for the same Fachhandel and gastronomy accounts as Hornig, with substantially larger resources and brand mix.
• Kuehn Kunz Rosen GmbH: German wine importer and distributor offering a broad international assortment to specialist retail and HORECA; competes for overlapping B2B buyer relationships across German territories.
• Schlumberger Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG: Major German-Austrian wine and spirits distribution group; serves many of the same German specialist and HORECA buyers that Hornig targets, with a much larger portfolio and broader sales reach.
• Hawesko Holding SE: Leading German wine retailer and wholesale group; competes for the same Fachhandel buyer relationships but at much greater scale, with multi-channel retail, ecommerce, and own-brand reach that a single-channel wholesale specialist cannot match.

Direct peers

• Wein & Vinos GmbH: German specialty importer curating origin-specific wine portfolios for the German Fachhandel; operates a comparable specialist importer/wholesaler model, though focused on Spanish and Italian origins rather than New World.
• Wein Wolf GmbH: German specialist importer focused on curated international wine portfolios distributed to German trade and gastronomy; directly comparable in target customer, exclusive-importer model, and curated-origin approach.
• Reidemeister & Ulrichs GmbH & Co. KG: German specialty wine importer focused on curating an exclusive international portfolio for the German Fachhandel and gastronomy, very directly comparable to Hornig's specialist-overeas-wine model and B2B trade channel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hornig-wine-company-gmbh

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hornig Wine Company GmbH